ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has increased its efforts to curb tax evasion by serving notices to over 8 million tax non-filers, a local news channel reported while quoting officials from the tax collection body. The move is part of a broader initiative to tighten the noose around defaulters and bolster revenue collection in Pakistan.
These notices, issued under the Income Tax General Order, total 8.19 million, comprising over 2.4 million notices for the year 2022 and over 5.6 million notices for the year 2023. The FBR emphasizes that action will be taken against individuals who fail to respond to the notices, indicating a commitment to enforcing tax compliance.
FBR Plans to Disconnect Telephone Connections of Non-Filers
In the second phase of the crackdown, the FBR plans to disconnect telephone connections of non-registered individuals, further pressuring those who evade tax obligations. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has underscored the significance of increasing revenue and expanding the number of tax filers in recent meetings.
As part of its strategy, the FBR board has announced the establishment of district tax offices, a new initiative aimed at broadening the tax base and raising the tax-to-GDP ratio to a desired level. These offices will be headed by District Tax Officers, who will be responsible for enforcing Income Tax Returns from non-filers and stop-filers, as outlined in an official press release.
